December 2012 - the sleep and poo thread (too much of one, not enough of the other)

[PurplePidjin]

Argh posted before finished? I find room temp wakes her and gives more wind??? Warm makes her more sleepy?

I've been mixed feeding for a few weeks. There are loads of ways that it can be done - it's all about finding the best combination for you. We are currently giving quite a bit of formula because of Z's problems in gaining weight and now because of the suspected tongue tie I'm wary of him going back to the days of exhausting himself spending hours and hours on the breast whilst getting out insufficient milk for his efforts.. So we're sort of alternating, giving a bottle every few hours but giving him as muh breast milk he wants around that. I also sometimes start a feed with breast and then give a bottle or vice versa. But, I always express whenever I give a bottle, and if I start with breast and move to bottle I always finish expressing that breast.

It works for us. I'd have loved to have exclusively breast fed throughout but Z was failing to thrive on it no matter what I tried. And mixed feeding works well for us on so many levels - he's doing well on it, we're able to share the load of feeds, and he also gets to spend some time on the breast (which he enjoys) without getting frustrated and hungry and upset when he struggles to fill himself up from there.

I think you've done amazingly Seconds and it's great that he can go to the breast without getting frustrated and just enjoy it

Hello All,
Hope everyone is good. Have had a little lurk but first time I've posted on post-natal since Rohan was born on 3rd. Its been a rollercoaster since then. tried typing out my birth story but it was so long and I got quite emotional doing it. Basically his heart rate kept dropping as every contraction started and it took me 4 hours to get from 7 to 8cm dilated. After a number of blood tests on LO I was taken for an emergency c section. Fast forward and we're home doing well but this breastfeeding malarkey is really hard work. Breast pump arrives tomorrow so will start expressing.

Thanks all for words of wisdom and support. Think DH must have phoned my mum this morning when he was on his way to work as she came round and gave me an hour sleep this afternoon. DH can't work out why, even though I appreciate it, one hour isn't going to perk me back to normal to top it off he went for 'a drink' after work had phoned to say he one of his mates had hidden his wallet and won't let him leave till he's had another couple, do I mind? (Too late to ask as he'd already missed the bus). FFS grow up, his mate knows he's got a new baby and DH knows I'm struggling at the min. AIBU to at least to have hoped he'd come home after 1 like he said he would?

Sorry me me me again. will be better mumsnetter tomorrow

I was considering combined feeding to give my nipples a rest. The pain when she latches on is almost unbearable and i'm starting to dread bf. Especially when shes fed as much as she has the last few days. And also like i said before i really don't think i could bf in public. I'm not sure wether to combine feed or just give her the odd bottle when i feel like giving my nipples a break or in public. Can i ask a question, does anyone else who is bf have times where they really hate it? I hate it alot of the time but then i have the occasional time where i enjoy it. I'm not sure if this is due to the pain though.

Oh and Bella i don't think i would warm it but thats just because i'm lazy and wouldn't want to make a rod for my own back and have to hear my LO crying whilst waiting.

hales have you tried nipple shields to give your nipples a break?

Thanks for all your views. I am lucky to have had a baby who has no trouble bfing, I have had no pain issues, and she's putting on weight rapidly. I guess I feel like I am the last person who should consider opting into the occasional ff. Argh, I have lots of mother's guilt today, not fun!

MrsM I am definitely dreading tonight!

hales I second the recommendation of nipple shields. I hated breastfeeding a lot of the time, but a large part of that was how utterly relentless it was whilst seemingly never giving poor little Z what he wanted. I must say, mixed feeding has rescued mine and Z's breastfeeding relationship in becoming something we can do rather than something we must do.

honey I would be spitting if that had happened to me. Of course you're not being unreasonable in wanting home when he said he'd be home! And as for his mate, well words absolutely fail me.

Honey i'm going shopping tomorrow will pick some up then. I also don't think you being unreasonable i just think that sometimes our partners don't actually realise how hard work it is. They don't realise the pain we're in or that everytime the baby even moves in their sleep that we wake up as well. (I often wonder how my DP stays sleeping when he can clearly hear the same things i do). Plus wether we like to admit it or not we're still hormonal. Maybe wait till he's off work give him 2 bottles of EBM and go to a friends for a couple of hours. He'll soon have a better idea once he's alone and sees what your doing.

And 2blessed sorry to hear about your birth experience. Sometimes a bad birth experience can inhibit your bf. Also don't be surprised if at 1st you can't express much. I think people should be told how hard bf is during the antenatal classes. I suppose it will be worth it when we have genius children.

Fully recommend medela nipple shields hales, but whatever you get make sure you get the right size. I got some standard ones from boots and they were huge, he couldn't get them in his mouth properly! I use the small medela ones.

And thanks for reassurance I'm not being unreasonable

I hate bf it's just so all consuming and draining.

Honey I'd be fuming!

I am dreading tonight. I seriously need some sleep!

I get nighttime dread too! And then once it's about four o'clock I know I have to get up soon and it goes really quick!

Mama I give a bottle at bed time which is about 9. He does go longer too so I get a decent chunk of sleep. I have a number of reasons and none are anti bf. I do think its important for babies to get used to a bottle early so its bit so much if an issue later on, and the same with dd. I don't get on with expressing, about 1oz in 40 min. Plus it gives me flexibility to go out, dh to feed. I fed ds1 for 6 months on a combined basis so it can be done.

Sorry to hear so many of you are dreading the night times. This probably won't help right now but this is such a short period of their lives and it is all really really worth it I promise. I think I'm very lucky having the big dcs who are a lot older, as I can see this a lot clearer than when I had a 2 yr gap with dd and ds1. Then it feels it will never end. But it does, it really does. I think knowing that has helped me a lot this time around. I'm definately not finding the nightimes and tiredness so bad, even though Ethan wakes up far more than dd ever did. I hope I don't sound patronising, just trying to give you all something to keep in mind at stupid o'clock in the morning.

We have had the mother of all tantrums this evening, mixture of greed, temper and colic meant he was completely inconsolable, projectile vomiting everywhere. Eventually we took him out in the car, just got home, have managed to get him out the car seat while still asleep, hopefully he will go down in his basket without waking too.

I get the night time dread too! Last night we had to remake our bed (again) at 2am because DS was sick everywhere. The last few nights have been bad, waking every 60-90mins due to straining and wind. Apparently colic peaks at 6 weeks and should be better by around 12-18 weeks. I'm trying console myself with the fact we're nearly half way!

I know you were talking about this a while back but I need a sling before DD goes back to school. I'm quite small though so would a wrap be good as DS is really heavy now? Or would a baby bjorn last longer?

Honey Not unreasonable at all. We're literally tied to the baby/house for a few months and it's not asking much for some moral support! My DH played golf all afternoon on Saturday and then went out drinking until 4am even though he'd promised me he would not be out late. Then he had a nap on Sunday, no chance of that for me. I wanted to punch him.

Thanks again for all the rash advice, it's loads better, the raw skin has nearly healed. Your tips and the metanium my sister brought from the UK last week seem to have done the trick. Thankfully she bought 5 tubes!

I get the night time dread as well, just because no 2 nights are ever the same and i'm abit of a control freak so always like to know what to expect. I'm glad you wrote that though Stacey it helps to put things into perspective, its not forever is a mantra i'll probably now repeat constantly in my head.

I can second what Stacey said. For instance my 4 yr old told me tonight how much he loved me, really does make it all worthwhile!

Bless your los bum Seymour so glad it's getting better.

honey uaNbu!

I hate reflux. Poor little t is obviously in pain/discomfort and wants to suckle all the time. Puking all the time - all over friends sofa this pm. I'm still being conservative with gaviscon as wary about binging her up but think going to have to give more doses. Feel bad for other dds who are not getting much mummy at the moment.

WL have you read the article about reflux on the NCT website (i'm on my mobile so can't copy the link) it has some useful tips on how to help with reflux symptoms. Sorry if you've already looked, just thought it might be worth a look as they are things you can do without having to use the gaviscon.